Mentorship is having a moment again. Programs are being announced, structures are being formalized, and metrics are being discussed. All of that has value. But at its best, mentorship has never been about systems. It has always been about people. That’s why Moroch Partners’ recent announcement of the Jack Phifer Mentorship Program stopped me in...
You did everything “right.” You chose a major. You completed internships. You sought mentors. You landed a job. You worked hard, stayed late, learned the ropes, and built a résumé that actually looks respectable. And now, ten years in, you find yourself asking a quiet but persistent question: Did I pick the right career? This...
There’s a saying that’s been floating around boardrooms for years: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I heard it again today, and it stopped me in my tracks. Not because it’s new, but because it’s still undeniably true, and nowhere is that truth more visible than in the advertising agency industry. Advertising loves strategy. · We...
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. A time that invites us to pause, to reflect, and to give thanks. And yet, when we look around, it can feel like gratitude is in short supply. We live in a world that emphasizes what’s wrong over what’s right. Complaints travel fast, and it’s easy to get caught...
After decades in the ad world, I’ve come to a depressing conclusion: most marketers don’t write anymore, they recycle. They don’t create language; they repeat it. Every time a buzzword pops up, the herd stampedes. Suddenly everyone’s “leveraging synergy” to “move the needle” with “innovative solutions.” The result? A chorus of copy that sounds like...
In today’s world, anyone and everyone can generate a website in seconds. It’s true. AI can spin one up before your coffee cools. There are templates galore — drag, drop, done. But let’s be honest… does fast mean effective? Sure, it’s easy to click your way to something that looks like a website. But what...
It’s no secret: people don’t trust advertising the way they used to. Scroll through your feed, and what happens? You swipe past the banner, skip the pre-roll, or click “skip ad” the moment it flashes on your screen. In fact, surveys show that younger generations, especially Gen Z, are more skeptical of advertising than any...
Each year, September 11 comes and goes. We see the posts, the hashtags, the photos of the Twin Towers, flags waving in the breeze. For many, it has become another “day” on the calendar. Something to acknowledge out of tradition, then move past as life continues. But if that is all it becomes, then we...
I love AI. I really do. In the advertising world, it’s like suddenly having a 24/7 creative department that never sleeps, never complains about deadlines, and doesn’t charge overtime. It can spit out headlines, draft scripts, create art, and even suggest campaign strategies in seconds. Incredible, right? But here’s the danger: AI’s brilliance can make...
At a recent Q&A with business students, I was asked a refreshingly honest question: “What do clients really want to know from advertising agencies?” Not what agencies hope they’ll ask—but what they’re truly thinking. I applauded the question because it hit a nerve in the right way. Too many agencies still hide behind smoke and...